This is the privacy community, I wouldn’t consider iOS appropriate here at all, since you really can’t do anything to limit the data collection. Especially not for a “what phone should I get” question. If someone already has an iPhone, asking what you can do is a good question (“not much” is the answer you’ll get).
Is it better out if the box than most Androids? Probably, maybe, depending on how that’s defined. But I can quickly make most Androids far better than iOS, even ones with a lot of vendor bloat.
For example, I recently cleaned up a Verizon Samsung just using the Universal Android Debloat Tool. This is stuff I used to do manually with ADB.
Then adding a VPN and I could restrict apps calling home and bypass Google DNS.
You can even disable google services, play, etc, and just don’t use a google acccount on the phone.
I carry an iPhone for work, corp IT manages it, I use little more than comm stuff there, so theres no advantage to having an Android. (Before that my work phone was a blackberry, because I need work calls, email, messaging, etc to just work, and you couldn’t beat the battery life).
My personal is Android, because I want the tools I can use there.
Two very different use-cases.
And I really dislike iOS UI/UX, the limitations are very constricting. But for the basics it “just works”, but it isn’t something to recommend for privacy.
How does DivestOS compare to Graphene in your opinion?
Divest is based on Lineage, which isn’t as secure as Graphene (by a significant margin), but my understanding is Divest has done some things to improve sscurity/privacy.
I realize since we’re talking a Pixel here, Graphene is the security/privacy answer. I have other phones in my “support circle” that can use Lineage or Divest, and I’d like to advise people appropriately.
“The you won’t kind providing me with your full birth name, ss#, address, mother’s maiden name, bank account number, pin, computer login, phone login” etc, etc.
You’re trading your own feelings for your kid’s long-term well-being and learning. Many people would take the easy approach because your way is “scary”. Bravery is doing what needs to be done even if you’re afraid.
I’d call that right and proper. It’s what we adults are supposed to do. The number of times I’ve carried a crying infant to get them settled down while I could barely walk from excruciating back pain… It’s our job to take that on.
It’s funny, many of those parents who are tracking their kids would probably say “I sacrifice every day by working long hours so my kids have a warm, safe home” without realizing that giving them a long leash is also a sacrifice of parent’s (willingly take on worry) so kids grow up well.
Primarily it means these companies know where your kids are, and they are building a dB of locations and other info of the kid (likely including online activity via other ops on the phone, etc), starting tracking early.
Second, it’s a poor way to manage trust between parents and kids. I refuse to use it, and refuse to help anyone I know use it, and explain to them why.
If you don’t trust your kids, then work on resolving that issue. And before anyone says “I trust my kids but not other people”, well, you gonna go everywhere with them to protect them from other people, or teach them how to navigate life, and learn to develop their own independent judgement?
There are self-hostable tracking systems. One is in my queue to setup for family/friends. It’ll be configured so anyone in a circle can use it, but these people trust each other. We intend it for arrival/departure notifications more than anything.
Please tell me you’re educating your family in privacy issues. This tracking circumstance is an excellent opportunity to approach it with a education mindset instead of the stereotypical kids/parents conflict.
Check out www.theprivacydad.com it’s a great starting point for parents who don’t know tech enough to realize what’s going on.